In that moment he was dad to them all, a man broken by grief for his middle child, yet still able to share his love in a physical connection he will never again enjoy with his boy.

As Alan was remembered in the church service with stories that brought smiles and laughter, brave faces crumpled as composure gave way to the heavy load of grief they have all been living under for two weeks.

Young men, more used to back-slapping and egging-on, shed tears as they held each other close, friends-come-brothers from a social world that expects only good times.

Can't hold the tears back any longer

Alan’s mother Verona, steady and brave, quietly wiped tears as she was enveloped by the outpouring of love for her son.

Verona

And his brothers Karl and Lee supported them all despite their tender years, holding a hand, wiping a tear, managing a smile with Alan’s bereft girlfriend Montana Spence.

Montana and Alan had been a couple for just five fun-filled months when she was told he had died on the holiday island - and yesterday she revealed the permanency of her devotion with a tattoo on her arm of the date he died, July 19.

Alan's girlfriend Montana is comforted by a friend

More than 600 people attended the funeral at St Dorothea’s Parish Church where Alan he had been baptised 21 years earlier.

On Saturday his mum and dad Verona and Alan Snr walked down the aisle with their son central to their thoughts again, but this time to sit by his coffin.

Thirty one years earlier they had been at the altar on their wedding day. And six years ago they renewed their vows to each other in the same spot as they celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary.

So much was the same, yet everything had changed.

A final moment of respect for Alan

Yet even with the prevailing sadness in the building there was an echo of celebration for a life that had been lived to the full.

Mourners had walked up the hill in Gilnahirk to St Dorothea’s in a wave of grey and black, pitted with the occasional sharp blue suit, shoes polished, best faces on not knowing how they would get through.

Mourners file into St Dorothea's Parish Church

Hugs were exchanged and jokes told, laughter rang out against the sombre backdrop as stories were remembered and retold.

During the service Alan’s close friend Connor Kerr read a short poem to the mourners. He had been on Ibiza trip when Alan died and had been the first to raise the alarm that something was wrong.

And it was this brave 19-year-old who made the frantic call home to his father who, with a friend broke the news to the Drennan family about Alan’s death.

Alan's order of service

Yesterday he gathered his thoughts and spoke clearly in the church.

Connor said: “I can’t believe we are gathered here.

We should be in Belfast drinking beer.

“We went to Ibiza to enjoy the sun, sing, dance and have some fun.

“Little did we know it would end.

“That night we lost our dear friend.

“But in our hearts forever you’ll stay.

“Alan, you are only half a world away.”

And Alan’s brother Lee, who was not on the trip last month, wrote a tribute to Alan but as too fragile to speak to the congregation. His words were delivered by Rev Nigel Kirkpatrick.

Lee with his dad Alan Snr

He said: “The support has been phenomenal. One of the hardest things in life is losing a loved one, especially when they have been there throughout your whole life.

“Every man’s heart one day beats its final beat, his lungs breathe their final breath and if what that man did in his life makes the blood pulse through the body of others and makes them believe deeper in something larger than life, then his essence, his spirit will be immortilised.

“That was my brother, he touched so many of you. If it was sharing time with you, helping you when in need or even handing out the abuse which he often did, with no harm intended as you all know.

“He worked hard for everything and didn’t complain, well maybe a little but it was never a chore.

“He always kept his weekend life and work life separate, he always said to me - enjoy your weekend because when you’ve worked so hard, you deserve it. This was Alan’s life in a nutshell.

“I love you Alan and I will keep you in my heart forever and a day. So proud of you. Until we meet again, good night but never goodbye wee bro.”

Brother Lee and Karl embrace dad Alan Snr

Alan’s friends Adam Walsh and Dermot Graham paid wonderful tributes to him describing him as a gentleman and friend who was honourable, loving, funny, clever, caring and brave.

They talked about his devotion to family and friends, of the man who was the life and soul of the party, the one to turn to in times of need and the constant everyone expected to have for life.

Alan died on Ibiza last month, hours after arriving on the island. Questions remain over his death and a post mortem in Dublin has since revealed ,as his friends had said, that he had suffered injuries to his head and face.

Alan had told them he had been beaten up by the police while in the airport but the Spanish police said he had probably died of natural causes and had suffered no injuries.

His remains were brought to Ireland on Tuesday by the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust after protracted contact with the Spanish authorities. A seconds post mortem took place on Wednesday and he was finally brought home to Newtownabbey on Thursday afternoon nearly two weeks after he died.

And Rev Nigel Kirkpatrick acknowledged that Alan’s life had been taken too soon.

After the church service, the family held a private service at Roselawn

He said: “Alan wasn’t finished with life. He had done so much and been through a fair bit in this life, but he still had much more to do. He had plans and ambitions, he had energy and vitality and a great love for life.

“All I’ve heard these past few weeks is about a young man who was just bursting with love.

“Practical, earthly, genuine love from one human being to an other. That is living. That is life in all its fullness.”

And he revealed that Alan had saved the life of a desperately ill stranger he found staggering on the Westlink.

Rev Kirkpatrick explained: “I just loved the story about Alan driving along the Westlink when he spotted and man walking in the middle of the road, totally disorientated.

“Instead of doing as other drivers did and just steering around him, Alan stopped the car, got the man in and took him to hospital. He got him the help he needed for what turned out to be a diabetic episode.

“My favourite part of that story is that Alan just went home and said nothing about it at all. In fact no one would have known about it had the man not put the out on social media about Alan’s kindness.

“He walked the walk. He did lovely things because he meant it, not so he could show off and make people think well of him.

“If we have ever needed proof that a life full of love and concern for fellow human beings is contagious, I should think that the past two weeks have shown this.

They came to say good-bye

“The amount of love and goodness shown to Alan and Verona, Lee, Karl and the whole family by you their friends has been truly amazing.

“And I know they want me to express their gratitude for that. I think Verona captured the feelings very well when she said, ‘My arms aren’t wide enough, but my heart is big enough to say thank you.’

“Please keep on talking and showing the same love and concern to them and to each other as you all come to terms with Alan’s passing from this life. Keep on walking the walk, just like Alan would do.

“In all our sadness and disappointment at Alan’s young life, with so much potential, being taken so early, let’s not forget all that he achieved and the important purpose and beauty his life had. Just look at this full church today, full of people he fragranced and fed with his life and let’s be proud and thankful for having known him.”

Friends took to Facebook after the service and wrote: “Great send off for you wee man. So so sad and not a dry eye. It’s was hard for each and every single person there and we all tried our best to hold together. We all did you proud wee man. Until we meet again.

"Alan this has all just felt like a big dream to us all and is totally heartbreaking for all of us, as we know you’re still with us but we can never talk the way we did until we meet in the other side.

"Well all I can say is thank you very much to each and ever person that helped to raise money to help bring Alan home. Also big massive thank you to Kevin bell trust for the kindest help in doing this.

"Today is the day that we all hold each other up and stay strong as one big family together for Alan and his family.”